


Au revoir, Louis!

by fanpersoningfox



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Creepy Ex, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Marquis de Lafayette, Other, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 22:27:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13890444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanpersoningfox/pseuds/fanpersoningfox
Summary: What are the odds of running into your ex at a random bar in New York City on a random Friday night? Your creepy, abusive ex, who starts hitting on you again?Well, luckily there's this kind, handsome stranger, stepping in to save Laf's night.





	Au revoir, Louis!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!!  
> I wrote this for a friend's birthday a couple months back and have now finally gotten around to posting it, yay! It's my first published fic on ao3 so bear with me.
> 
> Everything in italics is said in French. (except for herc's thoughts at the very end)
> 
> Also, Laf is genderqueer in this and uses they/them pronouns. However, Louis does not know this, which is why in the part that's from his perspective he/him pronouns are being used for Laf. This is done for logic and narrator purposes, and not reflecting on Laf's identity.  
> Respect people's pronouns, folks!

What are the odds of running into your ex at a random bar in New York City on a random Friday night? Eight and a half million people in this goddamn city and Lafayette had to end up next to their ex-boyfriend, their French ex-boyfriend who wasn’t even living on this goddamn continent, how did he even get here??

Laf would have asked if they hadn’t wanted to avoid any form of conversation so badly. Looking the other way, they impatiently waited for the barkeeper to give them their drink so they could leave for the back of the bar, where they’d hopefully meet some of their friends.Unfortunately, they found themself addressed in posh French only a moment later:

“ _Gilbert! What a pleasant coincidence to meet you here!”_

Louis Auguste Roi Seizième had obviously recognized his ex-datemate and was now moving in for the French greeting of a kiss to each cheek. Laf gave him an awkward smile. The two of them hadn’t had the healthiest of relationships, followed by a messy break-up, and Laf had sincerely hoped to never see Louis again when they moved to the US. Accordingly unenthusiastic were their reactions to his attempts at making small talk, which he didn’t seem to mind, placing a hand on Laf’s arm and going on about his vacation plans. He was in NYC on vacation, staying in some expensive hotel, for three weeks, one of which was already over, and considering prolonging his stay.

His breath was hitting Laf’s face, smelling of the cigarettes he’d already smoked when they’d been dating, making them shift away uncomfortably.

_“Some nights I wonder what would be if we had not split up, Gilbert. We were good together.”_

His hand had slipped from their arm to settle on their thigh. They grabbed it and put it back onto the counter.

_“No, we were not. You didn’t give a shit about my wishes and feelings.”_

_“Don’t lie to me. I loved you.”_

He reached out to brush a strand of curly hair out of Lafayette’s face, causing them to flinch away. Instead of taking the hint Louis softly stroked down their temple, letting his fingers linger at the bare skin of their neck above the strap of their tank top.

Under other circumstances, had anyone else, any random stranger gotten this close to them and touched them like this, they’d told them to fuck off, and maybe even punched them in the face if necessary. But with Louis it was different. Too many memories were being washed up to the surface, some pleasant, many not so much. Memories of soft touches like these, growing harsher the more they became filled with lust.

_Come on, get me off._

Memories of the same hands that’d held onto them scrolling through a phone, eyes fixed on the screen more often than not.

_Of course I care about you._

Memories of words whispered into their ear after every fight, after every make-out-session, at the end of every rushed phone call.

_Je t’aime._

  
Abruptly, they grabbed Louis’ wrist and again pushed his hand onto the bar countertop.

_“Stop that.”_

_“Why? You’ve always liked it when I touched your neck.”_

_“I don’t want you to touch me anymore, Louis. We’re done. We’ve been done for three years now, get a grip.”_

Louis leaned in again, smiling charmingly like a shark:

_“We could go again. You’ve gotten hotter.”_

_“No. I’ve moved on.”_

_“Oh?”_ He raised his eyebrows. _“And who is the lucky one?”_

Laf opened their mouth to tell him that it was none of his business when a deep, rumbling voice bet them to it:

“Hey babe. Sorry, I’m late, Alex almost burned down our kitchen.”

Both Louis and Laf turned around to the speaker, a muscular, dark skinned man in a beanie, neither of them had ever seen before.  
The stranger leaned in for a hug, whispering into Laf’s ear:

“You looked like you could use some help; don’t worry, I got you.”

They felt like a stone had been lifted from their chest, bless this man. Smiling, they reciprocated the hug.

“Hey, mon chéri. It’s alright.”

The guy pulled back and turned towards Louis, keeping one of his hands resting protectively on the small of Laf’s back.

“Keep your hands off my boyfriend, will you.”

It wasn’t a question.

Lafayette inwardly thanked the gods that they’d only come out as genderqueer after they’d left France, so their ex wouldn’t notice the mistake that otherwise surely would’ve given away their charade.

Louis looked the other up and down, taking in his bulk, obviously considering his chances in case the situation escalated. The two men were about the same height, in fact all three of them were, but The New Guy was decidedly more muscular and had an air of badass on him that Louis’ based-on-money confidence just couldn’t match.

“Louis Auguste Roi Seizième.”

He sounded like he had tasted something foul but couldn’t spit it out anymore, pointedly passing over the other’s challenge.

“Hercules Mulligan. I’d say ‘pleasure to meet you’ but my mother taught me not to lie,” Hercules deadpanned. Then he directed his attention back to Lafayette:  
“The others are outside smoking, you wanna check in with them?”

Laf nodded, that was the perfect excuse to ditch their ex.  
“Au revoir, Louis.”

 

The chilly night air of New York City hit the two when they stepped outside, a welcome contrast to the stuffiness inside the bar. Hercules let go of Laf’s waist as soon as they were out of Louis’ sight but kept up the protective demeanor:

“Are you alright? He didn’t do anything real bad, did he?”

Laf gave him a wry smile and a nod:

“Non, I’m fine. Thank you. I’m not normally that… helpless… That was my ex and… yeah…”

“Don’t worry, no need to explain yourself. It happens.” He smiled at them, a warm glint in his dark eyes. “What’s your name, by the way?”

Laf felt their cheeks heat up. Right.

“Laf. Lafayette. Well, technically, it’s Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, but please, call me Lafayette, or just Laf. And my pronouns are they/them. If speaking a language which doesn’t have gender-neutral pronouns, masculine ones are fine.”

They grinned awkwardly, coming out to new people was always daunting, even if they appeared to be as kind as this one.  
Hercules blinked.

“Alright. I’m Hercules Mulligan, as I’ve said, but my friends call me Herc. He/him pronouns. Pleasure to meet you.”

There was a sparkle in his eyes as he smiled and extended his hand. Laf shook it, smiling back and relieved that he’d just accepted them like that.

“The pleasure is all mine.”

“Do you wanna leave here? Want me to call you a cab or something?”

Herc sounded genuinely concerned, it made Laf’s heart jump. Who would have thought that running into Louis would lead to them meeting such a not only handsome but also very kind man?  
They grinned:

“Non, actually, I’d like to go back inside. I’m not going to let my jackass of an ex-boyfriend ruin my Friday night. Would you care to accompany me? In case he tries something again?”

Hercules gave them a look, then smiled:

“Alright. Just one thing, because of the pronouns, you’re my pretend-??”

Laf shrugged:

“I actually haven’t thought about that yet. Probably just, how you say, significant other? But Louis doesn’t know I’m genderqueer anyways, so boyfriend should be fine, too. Let’s go?”

Hercules nodded and offered them his arm, which Laf happily took.  
By now the bar had gotten fuller, people were filling up all of the booths along the walls and some had begun to dance in the free space towards the back.

“Do you want a drink?”

Laf felt Hercules’s breath brush their ear as he leaned in so he’d be heard over the music. That was nice. They shook their head though:  
“Later, let’s dance!”

 

Lafayette with the unreasonable amount of first names was not only drop-dead gorgeous but also an amazing dancer. They were moving perfectly in tune with the music, hips swaying, a wide grin on their face, and their eyes on Herc. It was almost hypnotic, a mischievous spark in their gaze, pulling him in.  
Then the beat dropped and they broke out the raddest dance moves Hercules had ever seen in his life. He knew he was staring but he just couldn’t help himself. That was impressive!

Laf obviously noticed, and laughed, raising an eyebrow and dancing up on him. Herc shot them a smirk and a wink, leaning in and placing his hands on their hips. Their hands travelled up his arms, coming to a rest behind his neck.

“Thank you for doing this.”

“Pleasure.”

 

Louis Auguste Roi Seizième was annoyed. He’d been watching his ex and the new boyfriend dance for the last hour or so (don’t you even think about calling him pathetic!) and while he definitely wasn’t jealous, the two of them did seem to have an awful lot of fun together. They were alternating between ridiculous breakdance battles and basically dry-humping each other like horny teenagers, taking up the center of the dancefloor where people had formed a circle around them.

By the time the couple returned to the bar, Louis was sipping his fourth Solero, still watching them from across. The New Guy had a hand resting on Gilbert’s lower back, holding him close, while Gil was laughing at something he’d said. They clinked glasses –

“Look me in the eye or otherwise we’ll have seven years of bad sex, don’t you know the saying?”

“Can’t risk that, can we?”

– laughing at each other as they sipped their drinks. Gilbert’s eyes were sparkling brightly enough for Louis to notice from his spot, in a way they never had when the two of them had been together. The New Guy was smiling like someone from a toothpaste commercial, teeth stark white against his dark skin.

Louis rolled his eyes. He caught Gilbert shooting him a smug glance, then whispering to his boyfriend, who laughed and pulled him closer. Gil bit his lip, glancing down into his glass, and Louis knew that if he’d been closer, he would have been able to see the other’s blush.

When The New Guy tucked one of Gilbert’s curls behind his ear, Louis downed the rest of his drink and left. He should have gone on vacation to Britain. Or Africa.

 

 

They stayed at the bar until long after Laf’s ex had left, talking about life and the world, and taking dance breaks again and again. It was the wee hours of the morning when they stood at the subway station, about to finally part ways.

“Thank you for ‘elping me out, ‘erc.”

Lafayette’s French accent was more prominent when they were tired and tipsy, and Hercules found it adorable. He smiled and pulled out his phone.

“No problem, really. ‘Twas a pleasure. Can I have your number?”

“Oui. Definitely.”

The phone screen was putting a strange blueish lighting to Laf’s face as they saved their number into Herc’s phone. They looked up and grinned.

“What?”

“Huh?”

Herc felt his cheeks heat up from having been caught staring and he was glad the blush didn’t show through his skin color. He went to take his phone from Laf but ended up grabbing their hand instead. They were standing way too close.

_This is awkward_ , he thought, but didn’t let go.

He looked up to find Lafayette staring at him. At his lips, to be exact. Herc swiped his tongue over them reflexively.

“You know…”

Whatever he’d been about to say was cut off by a pair of soft lips being pressed to his. The kiss was warm and sweet, tasting slightly of the liquor they’d had earlier. Herc used his free hand, the one that wasn’t still awkwardly holding Laf’s and the phone, to pull the other in a little closer, placing it gently at their waist. He could feel Lafayette smile against his lips before deepening the kiss.

When they pulled back, they were both slightly out of breath and smiling like idiots. A subway entered the station, making a whole bunch of noise. Lafayette looked up:

“That one’s mine.”

Herc nodded, biting his lower lip.

“Get home safe.”

“I’ll try.” They grinned, stepping back.

“Call me!”

“I will!”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm new here so feedback will be appreciated a lot!!
> 
> Yes, I made King Louis XVI Laf's creepy ex-boyfriend.
> 
> Yell with me on tumblr @fanpersoningfox


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